The only direct Bulgaria-Russia transport line – the Varna-Port Kavkaz ferry – has seen an increase of freight traffic of 332% in 2010 so far, year-on-year.

This data was presented Monday at the founding session of the Bulgarian-Russian Council for Joint Operation of the Railway Ferry Line between Port Varna and Port Kavkaz, the press service of Bulgaria's state railway company BDZ announced.

The Council has been created in accordance with the Ministries of Transport of Bulgaria and the Russian Federation. It includes one representative of each the two ports, and of the railway and ship operators involved in the traffic.

On Bulgaria's part, the railway operator is BDZ - Freight Transits, and Valeriy Yusupov, first deputy head of the Northern Caucasus Railway in Russia.

The Black Sea ferry line between Bulgaria's Varna and Port Kavkaz was opened in March 2009 in order to facilitate the trade and transit between Bulgaria and Russia and the former Soviet Republics in Central Asia.

The ferry travels once weekly in each direction. At present, the major items it transports are natural gas, fertilizers, and agricultural products such as beans.